Compiled by Kevin "Sipreano" Howes,[4] the album collects rare and out of print recordings by First Nations, Métis and Inuit musicians from Canada and Alaska.[5]

With many of the artists poorly documented in media sources, Howes travelled extensively to interview and document the musicians for the album's booklet.[5] The songs were remastered from the original recordings, which in many cases existed only in Canadian Broadcasting Corporation archives.[6]

In August 2015, the Plug In Institute of Contemporary Art in Winnipeg, Manitoba staged an event dedicated to the album, featuring appearances by Howes and contributing musician Shingoose, and screenings of the aboriginal-themed documentary films The Paradox of Norval Morrisseau and The Other Side of the Ledger.[7]